The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-03-16
A Louisiana Sugar Plantation
of The Old Regime.

or me Ola Regime.
In the beginning Of I7ss. when Gayoso
( &c Lemos was Governor Of Louisiana.
rhe Bore plantation was visited by three
iilus-rlous strangers, the Duke OF Orleans
and his two brothers, the Count IF Beau
( j1lais and the Duke Of Montepeusier. Of
she r0yal house Of France, who. driven
into exile after the death Of their father
on the -catf0Id- were strikins examples
Of those remarkable vicissitudes of for
time with which the annals ofhistorv are
50 repIete Whena H0,seg,set1ir-. or guards
man, in the household troops of Louis
Nv. and watching over the safety of the
Majesty Of France, little did De Bore
dream that the day would come when
thre= princes Of the blood would be his
guests on the bank Of the Mississippi
This plantation was s.lgaciously and
Eastefuily laid oul for beauty and pFoJuc-
tiveHesS- The gardens occupied a large
AREA. and az once 4st0uished tine eve by
the m4suiheenee of their shady avenues
Of orange-tyees. Jnnroken retreats IF
myrtle and laurel defied the ravs IF the
sun Flowers Of every description per
fumed the air Extensive orchards pro
tuced every fruit Of which the climate
was susceptible BY juficious culture
there had been obtained remarkable sue
cess in producing an abundance Of juicy
grapes, every bunch Of which. however.
when they began to ripen. was envelop-
I'd in o sack of wire 10 protect them
against the iepredaiious of birds. The
fields were cultivated with such care
fuI observance Of the variable exizencieS
" every successive season that there was
no such thing known aS O short er half
crop. OF no crop at all This was reser-
vei for much later DAYS. But under the
administration Of Etieune de Bore. dur
ing q period Of about - years, from the
drft ebuliton Of "a sugar kettle in 1873
10 the time Of his death in 1S30. every
crop was regularly the same within afev
hogsheads- When. however. he ceased
TO exist this seat of order and prosperity
became chaos OF disorder and rain. and
the estate finally passed away from the
family into the hands Of strangers.
Il was q ,elf-sutHcient little domain. ex-
porting a good deal, AMI importing but
neagr=ly.zo that the balance was very
much In IL favor. II was largely suppl
ed nith sheep and their wo9l. with geese.
ducks, turkeys. guinea-foWLs. and every
variety of poultry without stint Eg-s
were gathered by the 6usheL Pigeons
clouded the sun. and when the small
black cherries called aJ-riez in French
we're ripe, those feathered epicure~ ATE
them voraciou-ly. got royalty drunk. and
falling from the trees. strewed theground
beneath. \ numerous herd Of cattle. IN
der the Inspection Of old Pompey and a
black youngster called Sosrls in English
tso.la i, on account Of his diminutive dg-
ure, past1red Iuxuri0usIy and grew fat.
What a quantity Of fresh butter. rich
cheese. milk. cream and clabb-r Vast
barns goEged with corn. rice. and hay
hives bursting with honey. vegetables
without measure, ana - luscious > yar.-
ed and liberal supply Of carriages always
ready for u-e. and horses for the saddle
OF for driving. all glossy and sleek spiri-
TED mules. well fed and well c1rried-
the pride Of The field hands -hrimps
and fish from the river multitude. IF
crawfsh from deep bitches. accoons
and opo>sUms TO gladden. the heart ofthe
most sIriy negro. Bore bad made Of his
estate both a farm and plantation Every
day before dawn cart-i0ads departed for
New Orleans with diversified produce,
most Of which was handed over. when it
reached is destination. % two old women
Azlthe and Marie, who were the 0ccu-
pants and guardians ofthe town house OF
Bore They admirably understood the
art Of selling. and were welI known to
the whole population, whose confidence
they possessed. Gciug % market with
baskets full they generally brought
them back empty. Jose phine, hand
some. strong-Imbed. and i.ht-foored uu-
lattress, with another female assistant
Of a darker color sold the milk and but
ter with wonderful rapidity. and both
were back ar the plantation at half past
l0 A. NJ. with the mail. the daily papers
ard whatever else they had TO bring Il
was clock-work in every thing on that
plant tti0n of the oli regime. Hence the
firs. produced al least six thousond dol
lars per anuum. besides supplying an the
wants IF those who resided on It. black
or white and the product Of the pIutr-
.ioa was almost All profit
The discipline established on II wa
sort Of military one At dawn, when it
was time TO - to the field and 20 the
other Iabors Of the day. the big bell rang
The whole gang Of negroes came t1 the
house. in front Of which they al kneeIe,l
and a short prayer was said always in
the presence Of a male member of the
family. who stood up with head uncover
Ell The same ceremony was performed
In the evening before they went to their
supper. and their rest for the night.
viyidIy remember how I felt. when. be-
ing about eight years old. I was for the
first time called upon To preside over the .
PRAYERS Of the dark as-emb.age.
I 30 not remember having seen ne
gro whipped. but I remember having
been present when occasionally one of
them. for some delinquency. was put IN
the stocks for the night or during = a hole
sunday This l. the principal punish
ment that have known TO be inflicted
Basile. the commander Of the gang. and
tie most boastful, the most self-portanJ
negro who ever trod the earth, although
he was invested with but every limited
power. was armed with an enormous
whip. at least % feet in length. which
from time to time he cracked portentous- /
Iy over his head with the most terrific
emphasis Of sound. whilst goading with
threatening words some laggarJi who he
thought did not WELD his hoe with suf-
fcient diligence ; but I never saw that
whip fall on the back ofany ofthe hands
In the field when at work they used 70
sing in chorus or concert, and there was
in those songs a melody which fingers to
this day in my heart. I nov wish that |
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